Events during Floriade 2011

What's on at the Memorial during Floriade, Saturday 17 September until Sunday 16 October 2011

Victory garden at Floriade

This Floriade the Australian War Memorial is creating a Second World War Victory Garden reminiscent of those grown by Australian families during the Second World War.

During 1942 food shortages began to have an impact on the Australian home front. The agricultural industry was struggling with massive labour shortages, a severe and prolonged drought and major shortfalls in imports of seed stock and fertilizers. Food shortages loomed unless agriculture became a focus of the war effort.

Early 1942 the Prime Minister John Curtin launched “Dig for Victory”, a publicity campaign urging householders throughout Australia to grow their own vegetables as a contribution to the war effort. The press loved and promoted the idea and industry and community groups got behind it.

The Australian War Memorial’s Victory Garden at Floriade will be modelled on the plants and vegetables grown by wartime families.

Sunday 18 September 201110 am - 3 pmTreloar Technology Centre8 Callan Street, Mitchell, ACT (about 15 minutes drive from the Australian War Memorial)A once a year chance to tour the Memorial’s storage and conservation sites. See conservation work and get up close and personal to rarely seen big ticket items including aircraft, rockets, artillery and tanks. Entry by gold coin donation.

Closing ceremonies

4.45 pm, free.

Each day during Floriade the Memorial will highlight the name of one man or woman who died in Australia’s service. Pause a moment to hear the personal stories of commitment and sacrifice behind the names on the nation’s Roll of Honour.

Displaying the names of over 102 000 Australians who have died in conflict, the Roll of Honour within the Commemorative Area, is one of Australia’s most sacred places. Hear a piper or bugler play a musical tribute and pay your own respects to the fallen at the Memorial’s closing ceremony each evening.

Story time for under 5s

10.30 am, Fridays, free.

Animals, hats, and uniforms feature in fascinating stories about Australians during wartime. Parents, grandparents, and carers can bring their under 5s to share stories and activities with the Memorial’s educators. No bookings required.

Special exhibition

2011 marks the 70th anniversary of Australia’s first major battles of the Second World War. These actions and campaigns were fought in the Middle East and the Mediterranean where the three Australian services were continuously in action throughout 1941.

For eight long months, surrounded by German and Italian forces, the men of the Tobruk garrison, mostly Australians, withstood tank attacks, artillery barrages, and daily bombings. They endured the desert’s searing heat, the bitterly cold nights, and hellish dust storms. They lived in dug-outs, caves, and crevasses.